When the absolutely terribly titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice arrives in theaters later this year, we’ll see the return of several characters from the original film. The Beetlejuice 2 cast includes the return of Michael Keaton of course, as well as Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, but another actor is nowhere to be seen. Some new Beetlejuice 2 details might shed some light on why the character of Charles Deetz is missing.
Jeffrey Jones played the role of Lydia’s father Charles Deetz in the original Beetlejuice cast, and while the reason the actor won’t be in the sequel likely has a lot to do with Jones running afoul of the law a few years back, the way the character was going to be written out of the sequel was less clear... especially since the rest of the family is in the movie. But EW has revealed that the Beetlejuice sequel will open with three generations of Deetz women, O’Hara’s Delia, Ryder’s Lydia, and Jenna Ortega’s Astrid, Lydia’s daughter, dealing with a death in the family.
While the story doesn’t reveal who died, it does suggest that the funeral could be for Charles Deetz. That would certainly make sense based on the fact that the actor isn’t part of the cast, as far as we know. Killing the character off would be an easy way to explain the absence.
Of course, considering Beetlejuice deals heavily with the afterlife, the fact that somebody died is no reason for them to not appear in the movie. Perhaps Charles found some way to move on and avoid becoming a spirit. Unless he's just just stuck in the waiting room for the entire film.
Whoever has died, the death is the catalyst for whatever the events of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice are. After more than three decades a sequel to Beetlejuice has finally happened. There have been countless Beetlejuice sequel rumors over the decades, and there was even a script for Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian once, but the previous attempts at a sequel never came to pass.
While the Beetlejuice sequel may have a terrible name, it will hopefully be everything that movie fans have been waiting for. A first look at Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice in the EW story that the actor hasn’t missed a step. The addition of Jenna Ortega, one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood, is a huge addition to the cast.
Now we just need to see it all in action. A trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is expected to drop pretty much anytime. That may confirm exactly who is dead, and how the death ties into the rest of the story. We’re very excited to see it when it happens. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s release date is currently set for September 6, 2024.